Tag: Papier Plume

Posted in Stories

Fountain Pen Day 2022

Posted on by Danny Watts

Happy FPD11, it has arrived. For those who don’t know, Fountain Pen Day was established 11 years ago, it is celebrated internationally on the first Friday in November. The day was established “to help embrace, promote, and share the use of fountain pens in day-to-day life, as well to help revive handwriting as a whole.” YES, proof that I am not the only weirdo out there.

As a “penthusiast,” this is our special day to proclaim to the world that we use fountain pens. On this Fountain Pen Day, take your pens with you wherever you go. Show them off in a public display of penthusiasm. Indulge the curious, let them hold your pen and write with it (if you feel comfortable of course).

This Fountain Pen Day, I have gone back to Papier Plume and selected another limited edition ink. The ink is no longer available and not connected with FPD, but I bought it on the last day it was available (November 1st) so close enough.

Papier Plume offered up a limited edition ink to commemorate Halloween, naturally, I indulged. The ink which is called Rougarou, is depicted in Cajun folklore as a man with a wolf or dog’s head, closely resembling a werewolf.

How to Celebrate Fountain Pen Day

  1. Start a personal collection of pens. This is a good day to begin your collection of fountain pens. Create a suitable budget for purchasing them, and begin your journey as a ‘penthusiast’.
  2. Write a letter to someone with your favorite fountain pen. Words written with a fountain pen surely resonate differently than words penned with a ballpoint pen or typed. Compose a letter to a friend or relative with one, and let them feel special.
  3. Share your collection of fountain pens and inks on social media with the tags #fountainpenday & #fountainpenday2022
  4. Buy a journal, and start writing. Exercise your pens, choose cool inks and make everyday fountain pen day.

If you’re a person who loves to write, draw, and create, but you’ve never used a fountain pen before, then this is the perfect excuse to try one out. The reason why the love for fountain pens exists in the first place is that they are way-cool tools of self-expression. I wrote this with a pen embossed with skulls. Go and ask anyone you see writing with a fountain pen and they’ll tell you how much more fun it is to create with a fountain pen.

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COPYRIGHT © 2021-2023 DANNY WATTS and CHRONICLES OF A FOUTAIN PEN.
Posted in Reviews, Stories

Eco Friendly Stuff, The Review

Posted on by Danny Watts

At the end of November on Cyber Monday, I highlighted some eco-friendly pen and journaling options. To be transparent, I do not have any vested financial interest in any of the products but I was intrigued and willing to try some out, thus I made some purchases.

For Christmas, my wife got me (she also got me a pen, imagine her surprise) eco-friendly pencils, a fountain pen, and a journal. Let’s see how well they did and what did they cost me.

Rainbow Recycled Paper Pencils, wood and plastic free.

The pencils write and act well… like pencils. I put one in an electric pencil sharpener, no issues there, it took a perfect sharp point. Some Amazon reviewers complained about this but I had no issues. I love the rainbow color. The pencil is made from recycled paper and is wood and plastic-free. The writing material is of premium #2 HB pencil lead, conform with EN71 and ISO9001. When I put the pencil to work, the point did not break (another popular complaint). I was sketching a plan for built-in bookcases, I feel I gave the pencils a good workout. At $1/pencil it’s not the cheapest alternative but I can find plenty of more expensive wood pencils.

Zenzoi bamboo fountain pen

The pen cost $24, is handmade, and is classified as a calligraphy pen! I’m not entirely sure why, as it came with a German medium iridium nib. In the Q&A section another purchaser described it as a medium-bold point pen nib, not flat like a calligraphy nib, it’s more like a Speedball B-6 nib. With a name like Zenzoi, yes it is made in China for Germany. The pen is considered eco-friendly because it is made from bamboo, which as we all know is grass.

Zenzoi, a bamboo pen in a bamboo case

The barrel has a smooth finish with just a slight textured feel. The two blind end caps are rough. I am fighting the desire to get out the Danish Oil and apply a finish to the pen.

The converter is the type that is just pushed into the section. At the end that operates the plunger-screw mechanism is easily detached allowing access for cleaning. In the spirit of being green, I inked it up with Bayou Nightfall by Papier Plume. The ink writes wet, no sheen, and minor feathering.

Bayou Nightfall by Papier Plume

Vital Statistics

  • Capped length 145mm,
  • Uncapped length 123mm,
  • Barrel diameter 11.5mm,
  • Cap diameter 13mm,
  • Pen weighs in at 13g.

Decomposition Notebook

The Decomposition Notebook turned out to be a fake. I know Caveat Emptor but I got it from Amazon and assumed (yes I know about ass-u-me). The good news, is it only cost me $6 and it is no longer available. I recommend going directly to Decomposition where the books are 50%-100% post-consumer waste and printed with soy-based inks. I noticed a couple pocket or field journals, maybe I’ll get one, compare it to the fake, and review it.

On a side note, we have started using cloth unpaper towels in place of paper towels for most clean-ups. They are attractive, highly absorbent, and come in a pack of 10. Alternatively, I guess I could have used hand towels or dishwashing clothes but really, they aren’t as attractive, and honestly, they are not as absorbent.

The Unpaper Towels